An Alsatian White for Dinner in the City

Zind Humbrecht Pinot d’Alsace Alsace 2007

A quick trip to San Francisco to visit a friend, see a movie, sneak in a little shoe shopping, and have some great conversation was punctuated nicely by our dinner at the newly remolded Bistro Aix in the Marina district. The new interior was terrific—we sat in an indoor courtyard that was light and airy—and I liked how warm and friendly the staff was. We split a grilled calamari dish, a side of spinach and, since I’m a sucker for a thin-crust pizza, a cracker-crust pizza with house-cured pancetta, leeks, kale and gruyère, which turned out to be an inspired combination.

The wine list had plenty of options, but what caught my eye was a 2007 Alsatian Pinot Blanc from Zind-Humbrecht ($10 a glass). Though it was correctly listed as a Pinot Blanc, the bottle actually reads Pinot d’Alsace, and the white is a blend of Pinot Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc. I liked how it had both good acidity and a full body, which both satisfied my thirst and stood up to the bold flavors in the pizza. I found plenty of grapefruit, green apple and spice notes, and the wine has a nice nutty quality that paired with the nuttiness of the gruyère. I rated it 88 points, non-blind.